Thicker than Blood
by Faikitty
Summary: Jade had been away for a long time.


Yo~ *heart* I'm back with my first ever video game fanfiction. The Tales of games are the best things ever invented~ *heart* Tales of Symphonia was my favorite, but obviously, this fanfic is for Tales of the Abyss (which I'm still playing, and I'll kill you if you give me any spoilers. -_-*).

I wanted to write the reunion scene between Jade and Peony after Jade returns from Akzeriuth. I was actually surprised to find nobody else had done it yet. I would've written it whether we'd seen it or not, but since we didn't, I got more free reign. ^_^

Can be viewed as either friendship or pairing, I don't care which.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of the Abyss and I have nothing to do with anyone involved in its production. All I own is the words typed here.

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><p>"Sir! Colonel Jade Curtiss of the Malkuth Imperial Forces has returned!" announced the enthusiastic guard.<p>

Emperor Peony IX, seated on his throne, sighed. He knew it was most likely another imposter, someone else trying to wind themselves around the legs of the emperor. Ever since Jade was pronounced dead at Akzeriuth, there had been quite a few people arriving and pretending to be him, all with some ridiculous story of their miraculous survival. It was no secret that Jade was Peony's right-hand man, so he couldn't blame people for wanting to take Jade's place, but honestly, did they really think the emperor was stupid enough to mistake someone else for his best friend. No matter. "Show him in," Peony said, waving his hand. He closed his eyes and sighed once more. It also _hurt_ to have so many people showing up and claiming to be his supposedly dead best friend.

The large doors swung open slowly, and the deep, familiar voice filled the hall. "Your majesty…"

Peony jumped in surprise at the well-known sound and opened his eyes to see the Necromancer watching him with a small, apologetic smile. "Jade? I-It's…you," he stammered.

Jade knelt quickly and bowed his head. "I owe you a thousand apologies for not immediately returning, your majesty," he murmured.

Peony blinked rapidly and cleared his throat. "You are dismissed," he told the guards. The men saluted first him then Jade and left, closing the doors behind them. Peony turned back to Jade, who remained kneeling. "Come here," he ordered. He was surprised by the harshness in his own voice.

Jade rose and slowly approached the blonde man. "I'm sor-," he began.

Peony slapped him hard enough to knock the glasses off his face. "Apology _not_ accepted," he growled. He stalked over to the window and stood with his hands in his pockets, a habit he had picked up from Jade.

The Necromancer rubbed the smarting red mark on his cheek and retrieved his glasses before risking approaching Peony. "I don't think that's the nicest way to greet a friend everyone believed was dead, your majesty."

"Jade, it's just us; don't call me that," the emperor mumbled as he stared distractedly out the window.

"Hm. I guess that means you don't hate me if we're still on a first-name basis," Jade decided. Peony didn't respond; he simply became more interested in the rappigs. "Silent treatment? That's not like you. I've been gone a long time after all. Shouldn't you have thrown a large homecoming party for me? I'm hurt by your thoughtlessness."

Peony kept a firm grasp on his temper with some difficulty. "I would have, had you returned when you were _supposed_ to. Instead you go off and get yourself killed. It's hard to give someone a party if you think they're never coming back," he said.

"Come now. I was told you thought I was alive. Was I misinformed?" Jade asked.

Peony turned suddenly and walked across the room to the other window. "I didn't believe you were dead, but at the same time, I couldn't figure out how you could _possibly_ be alive. A large part of a _continent_ was destroyed, Jade, and the Tartarus fell with it. No matter how strong you are, the chances of you surviving were virtually non-existent."

Jade trailed the emperor. "At least I know you trust me. I was beginning to doubt your faith in me," Jade commented amiably.

"This is not a joke, Jade!" Peony shouted in an abrupt flurry of anger, whirling around to face him. "You should never have done anything without telling me, as your emperor!" Then his anger left as quickly as it had come. "Besides, you should have returned to me immediately…as your friend…"

Jade was taken back at both the sudden display of anger and at the tears in Peony's bright blue eyes. "I'm sorry," he attempted to say again. "I promise I had every intention of doing so, but I had more pressing matters to attend to first."

"More pressing than telling your best friend that you weren't killed in the accident that destroyed a chunk of a continent? You thought you could just show back up and say, 'Oh, just kidding, I'm alive, but I was too busy to bother telling you'?"

"Please be practical. Of course I _wanted_ to let you know I was safe, but I _couldn't_. I was running around with a grouchy God-General and later with a bratty seven-year-old, rescuing kidnapped children, and trying to stop _more_ portions of the world from falling into the Qliphoth. Trust me; I would rather have been here relaxing with you," Jade said.

Peony had his back turned to the other man again and was staring firmly at the floor as though he could keep the tears inside through sheer willpower. His hands clenched tightly into fists at his side. "I wasn't relaxing," he hissed through gritted teeth. "I was trying to keep the citizens of our country from panicking because part of the world suddenly sank into the ground, when all I really wanted to do was huddle up in the corner until my Jade returned home to me…"

"I'm pleased to see your habit of referring to me as a personal possession hasn't lessened during my absence," Jade said wryly.

"I…" Peony had apparently given up on arguing because he was just standing there, shoulders shaking slightly. Jade chanced to reach out and take his hand, hoping the emperor wouldn't pull away or slap him again. As it happened, he did neither. He just looked up at Jade and glared.

"Your majesty, please accept my deepest apologies," jade repeated, kneeling once more.

Peony sniffed. "As your emperor, I accept your apology," he replied formally.

Jade sighed, well-aware of what his next words would be. "But…?"

"As your friend, I don't _want_ your apology."

"Well, then what do you want? I can't say anything to make up for causing you to believe I was dead. I know that. But I don't know what to do."

"Stand up," Peony commanded. He withdrew his hand and held it by his chest as Jade obeyed.

"So what-," Jade broke off as Peony wrapped his arms around his waist and hid his face in the crook of the colonel's neck. Jade felt cool tears hit his warm skin, and he resisted the urge to pull away. Instead he slowly returned the gesture. He held the other man's body against his own until he stopped trembling. After a few moments, Peony stepped back and wiped his eyes on his sleeves. "Is…_that_ all you wanted?" Jade asked. A nod. "A hug. All you needed was _a hug_. You can be _such_ a child at times, Peony."

"Don't diss hugs. They can be a powerful weapon. You should try one on Saphir sometime," the blonde suggested. "It could knock some sense into him."

Jade raised an eyebrow. "It would appear your brain is as disorganized as your room," he commented.

Peony laughed. "Maybe so," he admitted. "_Your_ room isn't much better at the moment though. The rappigs decided they liked it while you were gone."

Jade stared at him. "You didn't."

"I didn't. They did it themselves. I think they missed you."

"Well I most certainly did not miss them," Jade said, rolling his eyes.

"Come now, you must have been at least a _little_ homesick," Peony teased, no sign of tears in his clear eyes now.

The Necromancer shrugged. "Maybe a little. I suppose if I am to be completely honest, I did miss _you_," he admitted. "It's lonely sleeping alone on a big ship. I've grown accustomed to you sneaking into my bed late at night."

"It's not my fault," Peony pouted. "Everyone gets nightmares sometimes. It's easier to sleep with the man people say can control the dead." Lowering his voice, he added, "They got worse when I thought I'd lost you."

"…What do you mean?"

"I guess I did see you when you were gone. I saw you in my dreams every night. But I wish I hadn't. It was always the same. You would be clinging to the edge of a cliff, begging me to help you, but I was pinned in place. I couldn't move. When you slipped, you gave me an accusing look, like I betrayed you and was the cause of your death. I would be forced to watch as your body hit the ground and shattered like broken glass. I would suddenly be by your body, able to move, and I would try to help you, but it was always too late; you were gone. The blood was the worst part. It was everywhere, warm and sticky and too much proof that you were dead and—"

"That's enough," Jade interrupted. He pulled Peony back into an embrace of his own free will this time. "You know I would never die like that. You're going to give _me_ nightmares. And old man like me having bad dreams? I would never be able to live it down."

Peony giggled. "That line doesn't work on me, Jade. If you're old, then I am too." He breathed in the familiar, comforting smell of Jade's signature cologne. "Will you stay here tonight?" he asked hopefully. "Please?"

"If I can," Jade said, resting his head on the blonde's. "I want to, but…"

"But you might have other responsibilities. I understand. Alright then…" Peony leaned back and met Jade's red eyes. "Promise me something."

"What is it?"

The emperor held up his pinky. "This is a serious promise, one that you have to keep."

"…You seriously want me to make a pinky promise with you?"

"Don't make me order you."

Jade laughed. "You sound like a certain princess I know," he observed, "but okay."

"Promise me that no matter where you go, you'll _always_ return home safely."

Jade twined his finger around Peony's. "I promise. I will always return to your side safe and sound.

Peony smiled. "Good."

"Now you have to promise me something too."

"What?"

"Keep your rappigs out of my room."

"Haha, fair enough. …Welcome home, Jade."

"…yeah. I'm home."

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><p>Sorry it's so long. I had a lot of inspiration while writing this. ^_^' Hope you liked it~<p> 


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